


love me just a little, just enough to show you care

by BrunetteAuthorette99



Series: Kastle Week Drabbles [3]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: (Most of it Frank's), Angst, Civil Wars In the Kastle Week, Drabble Sequence, F/M, Frank's just not sure WHAT, Gen, Matt still disapproves of Frank, Relationship Definitely Hurtling Towards Something, Songfic, the civil wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-18 22:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10626393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrunetteAuthorette99/pseuds/BrunetteAuthorette99
Summary: Karen and Frank; Frank and Karen. It takes a while for Frank to accept that he's here to stay.Seven loosely connected Kastle drabbles inspired by seven Civil Wars songs forgoddamnitkastle's#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week.





	1. you think your dreams are the same as mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 1:** “[Poison and Wine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBicqqc_UWg)”

Frank doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing here: slouching on Karen’s fire escape with a beer in hand like some filthy, fallen guardian angel.

 _Now where did_ that _come from?_ he thinks with a snort and a swig. The alcohol stings the cut on his lip, washes blood into his mouth.

He doesn’t even know if she ever wants to see his ugly mug again, after who he left in her dumpster. But he wants —  _needs? —_ to see her.

It’s a shit idea. But here she comes, climbing through the window like the sun’s first rays.

_Too late now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160183921892/you-think-your-dreams-are-the-same-as-mine)


	2. we can light a match and burn it down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 2:** “[Dust to Dust](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKWim4D27cc)”

Afterwards, when she’s tangled up in him, covering his body in the cool dark, Karen finally says it.

“I don’t want my apartment to be just another home base.” She hurries on, before her pause pushes him away. “I want it — to be your _home_.”

Frank exhales, his breath shaky against her scalp.

“I know what I’m asking,” she says, lifting her head. “And I know you need this.” _As much — probably even_ more _than I do._

He scoffs lightly. “You don’t _know_ that.”

“Maybe I do,” she retorts.

Frank holds her gaze: black to blue. Then: “ _Maybe_ you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160221940772/we-can-light-a-match-and-burn-it-down)


	3. a longing gone without a trace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 3:** “[The One That Got Away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgJQmn9gtmI)”

The first glimpse he’d caught of Karen was her hair: streaming behind her as she sprinted to safety. Frank’s focus had been on the scumbag she was dragging with her, but at the front of his mind, where the bullet had burrowed in, a voice was ordering: _Steer clear with those shots. She’s not involved._  

Tonight, her hair is pulled up, her face pensive as she hunches over her laptop. He’s just looking at her, drinking her in like the coffee in his hands, and now that voice is asking: _Fuck, Frank, how’d you get this deep?_

Frank can’t answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160257971907/a-longing-gone-without-a-trace)


	4. through his hands to my back door man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 4:** “[I Had Me a Girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1qY8EB4JlQ)”

“That was Red’s,” Frank says offhandedly as she returns with the frozen peas.

Karen sighs. “What happened?”

“Might have been gloating,” he admits gruffly. Frank looks up at her from under his stitched-up forehead, brows raised. “You two never —?”

“No!” she says, maybe too sharply. “No,” she repeats, softer.

( _Maybe we would have,_  Karen amends. _But you... changed a lot._ )

The corners of his mouth twitch.

“If you drag me into your pissing contests with Matt —” she warns, pressing the frozen peas against his black eye.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am.” Frank’s hands fan over her hips, pulling her closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160293506327/through-his-hands-to-my-back-door-man)


	5. worry 'bout everyone but me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 5:** “[Falling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkxFA7nzLFg)”

His story started as a stereotype: hooligan turned hero by the Marines. And then the Hallmark story went to shit when a Marine turned him into a hellraiser.

As best as Frank can figure out from that mess, his fear isn’t attachment. It’s what happens when everything attached detaches.

Sure, he has Karen _now_ : her barely restrained smiles, her bitterness and hopefulness, her blue eyes that punch through his bulletproof vest. But what about later?

Losing Maria, Lisa, Frank Jr. — _that_ had pushed him to the edge. But he’d hung on for dear death.

Losing Karen meant losing his grip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160335136912/worry-bout-everyone-but-me)


	6. dancing with a ball and chain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 6:** “[Birds Of A Feather](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxDto6_4PKg)”

They’re cleaning up leftovers of tonight’s take-out when the radio station switches songs. Karen can’t help but notice how Frank’s feet shift to the strumming of the guitar, so she turns from the sink and takes his hands.

“What’re you doing?” he asks, more surprised than suspicious.

She shrugs as she tries to shimmy. “Dancing?”

Frank looks unimpressed. “That’s not how it’s done, ma’am.”

Karen opens her mouth to object, but it turns into a shriek of laughter as he dips her down to the floor, then brings her up for a spin.

He’s smiling now. It almost looks natural.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160362448897/dancing-with-a-ball-and-chain)
> 
> The song on the radio is ["Sister Golden Hair" by America](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIycEe59Auc) — I was looking at the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles for 1975 (which was when ["Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu9a29UR2dU) was released) and it jumped out at me... mostly because of the title, but the lyrics also seemed to fit. So the song ended up in this chapter and as the title!


	7. it's not the sky i'm asking for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **[#CivilWarsInTheKastle Week](https://goddamnitkastle.tumblr.com/post/159547866923/civilwarsinthekastle-week-schedule), Day 7:** ~~Free Choice~~ “[Finding North](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbSg41agfUg)”

It’s still early when Frank wakes; it always is. But he doesn’t always wake up in a room with insulated walls, on a mattress without lumps, next to a woman that made his head and heart hurt in equal measures.

(Didn’t use to, anyway. Now it’s about as normal as things get for him these days.)

Karen’s a sounder sleeper than him, but she shifts when he stirs. He brings his other arm across his chest and around her; she lets out a small sigh, snuggling into his side.

Frank shuts his eyes. She would rest easy.

He would, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [On Tumblr](http://brunetteauthorette99.tumblr.com/post/160403369072/its-not-the-sky-im-asking-for)
> 
> As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, and leaving kudos! I love you guys as much as I love writing Kastle ;)
> 
> **_BrunetteAuthorette99_**


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